Lesson of the Month

A visually appealing booklet for students that explains how prescription pain medicines, opioids, change the way the communication centers in the brain work and ultimately cause their effects. Formerly referred to as Mind Over Matters, this booklet is part of a series focused on easy-to-understand scientific facts.

A visually appealing booklet for students that explains how prescription drugs changes the way the communication centers in the brain work and ultimately cause their effects. Part of a set of nine booklets—The Brain’s Response to: Cocaine, Hallucinogens, Inhalants, Marijuana, Methamphetamine, Nicotine, Opioids, Prescription Drugs, and Steroids.

Teens learn how different kinds of drugs change the natural state of a mouse’s brain. Alcohol, cocaine, ecstasy, heroin, LSD, marijuana, and methamphetamine change the communication pathways between neurons and affect neurotransmission.

In this lesson, developed in partnership with Scholastic, students learn about synthetic drugs—drugs created in labs to mimic other drugs, including opioids (example: fentanyl), marijuana (examples: Spice, K2); and cathinones (example: “bath salts”). They also learn why synthetic drugs may be more dangerous than their counterparts and why they are so difficult to regulate.

Students are introduced to the science behind opioids. The two middle school lessons explore the brain and body; the high school lessons explore the signs, symptoms, and science of opioid use. Both lessons address the impact of the opioid epidemic on community. The resource includes virtual field trips, parent resources, and a national peer-to-peer video challenge.

In this lesson, developed in partnership with Scholastic, students learn about the serious health crisis involving opioid drugs as well as what is causing it. They also learn that while prescription opioid pain medications can play an important role in a person’s medical care, the medications need to be used with extreme care. Students also gain advice on how to keep themselves and loved ones safe.

Students practice making decisions about prescription drug misuse by stepping into the shoes of a fictional character. They watch clips of the Choose Your Path interactive videos and throughout are prompted to make decisions for the main character about whether to use prescription drugs. Other activities encourage learning about the facts about prescription drug misuse and how it affects the body.

In this lesson, developed in partnership with Scholastic, students learn how prescription opioid pain medications work by mimicking the body’s natural pain-relieving chemicals. A student article explains what opioid abuse is and why it is so dangerous. Students can answer critical thinking questions, do a worksheet, and complete essay or creative writing assignments.

This lesson, developed in partnership with Scholastic, explains how opioid pain medications work in the body and discusses the risks of addiction and overdose. A worksheet has students analyze data on opioid prescriptions and overdose deaths. Critical thinking questions help students think through how opioids work in the brain, how opioid abuse might lead to heroin use, and what constitutes prescription drug abuse.

In this lesson, developed in partnership with Scholastic, students learn why misusing prescription stimulants, such as those prescribed to treat ADHD, is dangerous. A student article explains how stimulants work and what it means to abuse them. Students can make posters with factual information about prescription stimulants and stimulant abuse.

National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week® and the National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week® logo design are registered marks of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. SHATTER THE MYTHS® is a trademark and service mark of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. SHATTER THE MYTHS® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS).